Terms of Use
By accessing or using Dharma Watch, you agree to these Terms of Use. Please read them carefully. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.
1. About the Platform
What Dharma Watch Is
Dharma Watch is a public-interest documentation platform that collects, verifies, and publishes reports of incidents affecting Hindu communities worldwide. The platform is operated as an independent, non-partisan initiative. It is not affiliated with any government, political party, or religious institution.
Informational Purpose
All content on Dharma Watch — including incident records, reports, statistics, and analyses — is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this platform constitutes legal advice, and Dharma Watch is not a law enforcement body. If you are in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services.
Geographic Scope
The platform documents incidents globally. Inclusion of an incident does not constitute a political statement about any country, government, or group. Our documentation standards apply uniformly regardless of geography.
2. Acceptable Use
Permitted Uses
You may access, read, and share content from Dharma Watch for personal, educational, journalistic, research, and advocacy purposes. Data published under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 may be reproduced with proper attribution (cite "Dharma Watch" and include the date of access).
Prohibited Conduct
You may not use the platform to submit false, fabricated, or deliberately misleading incident reports; harass, threaten, or target any individual or group; scrape or harvest data in a manner that disrupts platform availability; attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the platform; or use the platform to incite violence or hatred against any person or community.
Submission Accuracy
By submitting an incident report, you represent that the information you provide is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Knowingly submitting false information may result in your submissions being removed and your access to the platform being restricted.
Minors
The platform is intended for users aged 16 and older. If you are under 16, please do not submit personal information or incident reports without parental consent.
3. Content & Accuracy
Verification Standards
Dharma Watch applies a multi-stage verification process to all submissions before publication. However, we cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of every published record. Incident records reflect the information available at the time of verification and may be updated as new information emerges.
Corrections Policy
We are committed to correcting errors promptly. If you believe a published record contains a factual error, contact us at [email protected] with the incident ID, the specific error, and supporting documentation. Verified corrections will be applied and noted on the record.
Third-Party Sources
Some incident records cite third-party news sources, NGO reports, or community submissions. Dharma Watch is not responsible for the accuracy of third-party content and inclusion of a source does not constitute endorsement of that source's other content or editorial positions.
No Warranty
The platform and all content are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Dharma Watch makes no representations about the completeness, reliability, or fitness for a particular purpose of any content on the platform.
4. Intellectual Property
Platform Content License
Incident data, statistics, and reports published by Dharma Watch are made available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share and adapt this material for any purpose, provided you give appropriate credit to Dharma Watch and indicate if changes were made.
Platform Design & Code
The design, branding, interface, and underlying code of the Dharma Watch platform are proprietary and are not covered by the CC BY 4.0 license. You may not reproduce or distribute the platform's design or code without written permission.
User Submissions
By submitting an incident report or other content to Dharma Watch, you grant us a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, publish, translate, and distribute that content as part of our documentation mission. You retain ownership of any original content you submit.
Third-Party Content
Photographs, news excerpts, and other third-party materials cited on the platform remain the property of their respective owners and are referenced under fair use or with permission. If you believe your copyrighted material has been used improperly, contact us at [email protected].
5. Limitation of Liability
No Liability for Reliance
Dharma Watch and its operators shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on information published on the platform. Users are responsible for independently verifying information before taking any action based on it.
Indirect Damages
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Dharma Watch shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the platform, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Platform Availability
We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access to the platform. We reserve the right to suspend, modify, or discontinue any part of the platform at any time without notice.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Dharma Watch and its operators from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your violation of these Terms or your use of the platform.
6. Governing Law & Disputes
Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in the jurisdiction where Dharma Watch is operated.
Dispute Resolution
Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to contact us at [email protected] to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We will make good-faith efforts to resolve disputes within 30 days of receiving written notice.
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
7. Contact Us
For questions about these Terms, please contact us:
[email protected]We aim to respond to all legal inquiries within 14 business days.
Changes to These Terms
We may revise these Terms at any time. Material changes will be noted at the top of this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.